


DT-7

by Gracelessliar



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Dad W. D. Gaster, Gaster isn't really a jerk, Gaster's Lab Notes, Gen, He goes kinda crazy, I don't know much about the Underfell AU, It's Underfell though so expect like angst and stuff?, It's a thing I just came up with and it haunted my dreams, POV W. D. Gaster, Short Chapters, So I had to write it, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, hopefully doing it right, more of a quiet sociopath, or if not angst at least not happy times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-11 18:03:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7064332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gracelessliar/pseuds/Gracelessliar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>W.D. Gaster is the Head Royal Scientist. He produces results, good ones. But his latest creation, the Core that will power the entire Underground is facing a serious energy crises. The compound used for the Core's fuel, DT-7, is running out fast and Gaster needs to find a way to get more. Regardless of what it costs him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a silly little thing for fun. Although I say that...it isn't really silly and it probably won't ever be. I have the workings of a plot, but I'm not really sure if I should continue to work on this thing when I have a universe of things that need to be done. But whatever.
> 
> Let there be science!

**Entry # 767**

It has taken years, and though it is unfortunate Verdana did not live to see this, I still think she might have been proud. The Core is completed. We no longer need fear the darkness and the cold. My sons are safe, and the future of monsters secure.

**Entry # 769**

Routine maintenance on the Core shows no signs of damage or malfunction. It is a stable as we hoped it would be. King Asgore is pleased and says it is time to turn our attention to breaking the barrier. Professor Alphys has already begun to study the barrier, but I wish to keep my focus on the Core until I am positive there will be no issues. Alphys says I am fussy. I prefer the term meticulous. She however is a mess. As always. I really would like it if she stopped leaving her "Human Histories" playing all night long in her lab. The drivel has begun to drive me mad.  


**Entry # 775**

I have discovered a problem in the Core. It is NOT a malfunction, though calling it a...miscalculation would perhaps be accurate. I am loath to believe the error is on my part however. It is simply that the demands put on the Core are far greater than anticipated. Who knew the monsters could be so wasteful? Do they not appreciate the gift I have given them? Of course not, they do not care about what i have done, just as I do not care about them. I built the Core not for their sake, but for the sake of my sons. The monsters of the Underground could fade into dust and I would not lose a moment of rest. *ahem* The fuel powering the core is burning at a much faster pace than I predicted. I must begin my calculations from the beginning to determine how much our supply will last.  


**Entry # 779**

Over the past several days I have conducted hundreds of test and simulations. They all point to one, grim, result. The fuel for the Core will not last us ten years. Originally I estimated it to be good for at least fifty years, by which time I am sure I would have been able to find a new source of fuel. This would be a simple matter if the fuel were easy to come by, but DT-7 is a rare and valuable compound. Most of what remains is hoarded by Alphys for her study of the barrier.  


On a more pleasant note, Sans and Papyrus visited today. Though Papyrus looked as if he would rather be anywhere but inside a dusty old lab, Sans was fascinated by my research. He takes after his old man. Since Verdana’s dusting, Sans has been caring for his brother. It cannot be an easy task, the denizens of hotland are callous and cruel, and I have little time to be home. Still, they looked happy, or at least, not overly distraught. It can be difficult to tell with Sans at time, he keeps up a smile at all times perhaps to comfort his younger brother or possibly to comfort himself. I had hoped to spend more time with them after completing the Core. It seems they will have to wait a little longer.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again with more research notes from Gaster.
> 
> I guess each entry is basically referring to a day's events. Gaster sometimes treats it as more a journal than strictly his research. I'm sure that's not good practice. I'm also sure Gaster just doesn't care.
> 
> It's kind of hard to capture an Underfell vibe through someone's written notes, especially since Gaster is so proper when he writes. So I'm hoping it's being conveyed.

**Entry # 785**

I have attempted to adjust the Core to be more energy efficient, but all I ended up doing was squandering more of what precious little fuel we have left. The Core itself is running at top efficiency, it’s the monsters who are not. Trying to explain that to a hoard of uneducated, menial creatures who are just as likely to dust each other as listen to an explanation on how to work their toaster is not something I am willing or capable of doing. I certainly am not paid enough for such a thing.

Still, the issue persists, and I cannot ignore it. Though I do not wish to do so, I will have to report this to King Asgore. He will not be pleased.

**Entry # 786**

I gave my report to King Asgore today. As expected, he gave me that look. I have seen the look given to others, but never myself. It is the one that says he cares not for the details, only for the solution. Does he not understand if it were that easy I would have already fixed it? King Asgore does not take disappointment well. I must tread lightly around him.

**Entry # 789**

Sans was by again. He wanted to know if he could help with anything. The offer was genuine, through whether it was a genuine interest in my work or out of boredom I do not know. Papyrus was out playing with friends, “toughening up” as Sans called it. If Sans is like myself, then Papyrus surely takes after Verdana. She never was one to sit still. I ended up giving Sans a tour of the lab, but Alphys just grumbled that I was wasting my time when we went to observe one of her experiments. Hers are always flashy, far more so than my own. I figured a child would be more interested in watching something that could be seen with more than just a computer screen. Perhaps she is right though. I do not have time to play around.

**Entry # 793**

It is impossible to find more DT-7 in the Underground. Trace amounts can sometimes be found near deposits of BR-2 and PV-4, but not nearly enough to solve my issue. It may be more common on the surface, as the only true deposits of DT-7 were found near the Barrier, and those deposits have long been tapped dry for the sake of the Core. But if I was able to obtain samples from the surface then I wouldn't bee needing to worry about the Core in the first place. What remains in the lab is a small amount used for Alphys’s research. But what she has is not nearly enough. I must find another way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These ones are kind short :/
> 
> So I'll probably be posting another chapter later today. (posting this at 1am, so "later today" is a pretty broad range) The next chapter should be a tad more interesting. 
> 
> I do wish my Gaster was willing to be a little more wordy, but unless something offends him or worries him, or triggers one of his other few feelings, he's pretty straight to point with stuff.

**Entry # 805**

Asgore has been inquiring about my children, and though normally I would be more than willing to discuss them, under the circumstances it is...alarming. He has two children of his own around the same age as mine, a son named Asriel, and human child he "adopted" named Chara. The two are rarely seen around court, as the queen dotes on them. Despite the similarities in ages, I do not think Asgore was looking for playmates for his children. If I know the king, and after years of working for him I’d say I know him well enough, then he is giving me a warning.

**Entry # 807**

I am attempting use other compounds for the Core’s fuel. Alphys was not happy about it, but she handed over samples of each compound when I asked. Being the head royal scientist has benefits at times. During the construction of the Core, I did not test the other compounds as there seemed to be no need. DT-7 was plentiful at the time, and it provided a great amount of energy when processed. There was also no other apparent use for the compound. More-over, in large quantities I have discovered it to be toxic to monsters. Using it as the fuel in the Core seemed to be a clean solution to getting rid of the toxin.

The other compounds are more common than DT-7, but they vary greatly in structure and behavior. There has been little research done on the compounds, as most monsters think nothing of the compounds. They are worth nothing and provide no form of advantage in a fight. Alphys is quite possibly the leading expert on the 7 compounds. This thought unnerves me, to be blunt.

**Entry # 810**

I have chosen to start with PT-1. The compound is a light blue color, very pleasant to look at, but nothing remarkable beyond that. It proved to be long lasting as a fuel, but it did not produce near as much energy as DT-7. It also difficult to find, though not as difficult as DT-7. Deposits are typically found in Waterfall, near the wishing room, but said deposits are rather limited. Attempting to run the Core of off PT-1 would require lowering the maximum output of the Core. This is of course an option I have already considered to preserve the amount of DT-7, and should the situation turn dire, it may be something that must happen, but I have faith I will find a solution before such a thing becomes necessary.

As for the compound itself, it may do in an emergency, but the king would not be satisfied with the operating power of a Core running on PT-1.

**Entry # 814**

BR-2 is the next compound to try. Unlike PT-1 and DT-7, BR-2 is plentiful here in the Underground. Deposits of it are frequently found in places where monsters have fought great battles. If DT-7 is the compound most found in regards to humans, then I would BR-2 is the compound of monsters. I have high hopes for this compound, as it has a thick consistency similar to DT-7, and the orange glow of the compound is similar to the red shine of DT-7. Whether color and consistency signify any relationship between compounds is of course unproven, but I do not believe it is a stretch to hope.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a second chapter for today.
> 
> More musing about his children this time. Gaster, you aren't very good at keeping your personal matters out of your work matters, are you?

**Entry # 815**

There was an accident at the lab. Sans brought Papyrus along to visit and I allowed them to watch as I tested the burn rate of the BR-2 sample I had. The BR-2 did not burn, it exploded. The entire compound was used up in single instant and created a magical burst of orange energy that tore through the lab. I was able to protect Sans, but Papyrus was too far away. He was tossed into the wall by the force of the explosions, but fortunately seems to have no severe injures. I will run some tests to make sure.

**Entry # 816**

Papyrus and I were both fortunate, as it seems we escaped the explosions with little more than superficial damage. The explosion cracked my skull, but the hairline fracture causes me no issues. It is superficial and nothing to worry about, it will only serve as a reminder in the future to be more cautious. Papyrus has a small chip below his right eye socket. It looks deep, but is small, and I do not think it will expand unless further damage is caused to that region. Sans is currently not speaking to me, I think he is blaming me for hurting his younger brother.

 

**Entry # 822**

Sans came to see me today. I was in the middle of testing KN-5. This is the 5th compound I have tested. After BR-2, I also tested IN-3 and PV-4, but neither showed results worth noting. I cannot say my hopes are high for KN-5, the compound glows green and hardly seems like it will provide near enough energy. Though I do not think there is any danger related to KN-5, I stopped the experiment as soon as I noticed Sans. I will not risk another accident.

Sans said he was worried about Papyrus. Since the accident, Papyrus had been reckless, challenging much larger and stronger monsters to fights. According to Sans this was not the case before, but I assured Sans this was perfectly normal for a monster of Papyrus’s age, but Sans did not seem to agree with me. If I recall correctly, Sans was never one to tussle with other monsters, but in this case, Sans is probably the one with the strange behavior. Despite his age, I do not think Sans has gained any Execution Points.

After talking with Sans, the boy left. I returned to my work, but the KN-5 had vanished from inside it’s vial. I assume this is an evaporation effect as no one approached the vial during the time I was speaking with Sans. I do not need to run any further tests, KN-5 would not be an efficient fuel.

**Entry # 825**

As expected, the rare JU-6 compound was also a failure. It simply refuses to burn. I cannot understand why. Perhaps it needs some sort of catalyst. I can’t imagine what, none of the other compounds require such a thing.

I wished to continue my tests, but I was interrupted by a call from Sans. It seems Papyrus had gotten hurt in a fight. Where the chip under his eye was is now a long scar. Sans sat beside his brother’s bed all night, but I believe he is making a fuss over nothing. What’s a scar or two amongst monsters?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5 entries today, since a couple of these were kind of shorter than normal. It seems Gaster is having some troubles, but Alphys is there to save the day. Not that she wants to. Not sure who has the short end of the stick, pretty sure they both think their fellow researcher is the worst possible co-worker they could have.

**Entry # 827**

It must be DT-7 or nothing. There is no compound that can substitute for it. If I cannot find DT-7, then I will have to manufacture it.

**Entry # 829**

I have commandeered Alphys’s research on DT-7. She squawked about it, but she is too timid to truly do anything. I did not have to, but in exchange I gave her the limited research I had done on burning the compounds. At the very least it reduced the angry yelling to no more than the occasional heated whisper. She is still leaving her "Human Histories" on at night. Should I tell her they are nothing but made up drivel?

**Entry # 833**

Alphys’s research had proven to be most enlightening. She is a far more talented individual than I had thought. I’ll have to be wary of her in the future, if she ever manages to grow a spine.

Alphys speculates the “natural” deposits of the seven compounds are in fact not natural at all. In her theory, she states the compounds themselves are left behind when a monster dies, thus why certain deposits are found frequently at sites of battles between monsters. She also speculates the type of compound left behind at death has to do with the monster's soul. According to Alphys, DT-7 corresponds to determination in a soul, something she says is more common in humans than monsters. That would explain why the DT-7 could only be found near the barrier, the last point of contact we had with the humans.

Her research ended there, she has yet to find a way to reproduce any of the compounds, let alone DT-7 which is the most incompatible with a monster.

  **Entry # 837**

I have a theory. But testing it is impossible.

**Entry # 839**

The human that belongs to the King has fallen ill, it seems. I have been asked to attend to the child in the hopes that I may be able to heal it. The King seems to believe that because I am one of the few monsters who remembers humans, who fought against them in the war, I may have some kind of understanding about how to heal them. Human physiology is vastly different from that of us monsters, and taking them apart is much simpler than putting them back together. Even after death, their kind has a tendency to linger on as if forcing their existence to remain in this world even after they have gone. This…determination to persist in this world is what I loathe most about humans.

I do not wish to help the human child.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaster doesn't really have a high opinion of humans. He doesn't really have a high opinion of anyone, but humans are at the top of a very long list of people and things he doesn't like.

**Entry # 841**

The human child continues to be sick. I am given almost no time to rest and sleep as I tend to the child’s needs. The queen and prince are inconsolable; I find it disgusting that they are so afraid of a human dying. After speaking with Prince Asriel, I have concluded the human ate something it shouldn’t have. The golden flowers in the garden are beautiful but deadly to monsters. King Asgore fell victim to them a short time ago, but recovered due to the small amount he ingested and his large size. It would seem they have the same effect on humans. I would have thought the human would be intelligent enough to avoid eating something that was so obviously poison. I do not recall them being so stupid.

I did manage to speak to the child for a short time today. It did not seem overly concerned when I explained that it was likely to die soon. We do not have the necessary equipment to cure a human here in the Underground, and taking the child to the surface is not an option. The child, however, simply laughed at my concern and assured me that all was going to plan. I do not know what plan involves eating a deadly flower, but if the child does not care about its own survival, then why should I be expected to?

**Entry # 843**

The child, Chara, has died. The child breathed its last today, surrounded by the Dreemur family. I did not care to save the child, but I did try. Though the child did not seem to care to save itself, on the pride I have as Royal Scientist, I would never give a half-hearted effort. It is vexing that I was unable to save the child’s life. The Queen is distraught, and Prince Asriel refuses to speak to anyone. The King sent me away after Chara died, I worry he will blame me for this. As Chara is human, the body did not fade to dust as is natural, but continues to linger on the in castle even now. I suppose the Dreemur family will have to decide what to do with it.

Sans has been asking when I will be home next. The news about the human’s death has not been announced yet, and Sans is not aware of what I was doing these last few days. I think I will take a small break. I want to see my sons.

**Entry #850**

Prince Asriel has died. The news reached me shortly after I returned to the lab. I had been gone, visiting my sons. The break did us all good, and I was surprised to see how large Papyrus has grown. I feel that he has gained more Execution Points since I last saw him, but Sans does not wish to speak on the matter.

Alphys filled me in on the details as far as she knew them. She was surprisingly eager to talk about it. It would seem the prince had merged with the soul of the dead human child and ventured through the barrier. It is a pity we could not collect the human’s soul for research instead, but I doubt Queen Toriel would have stood for such a thing. She had a soft spot for her human child.

Prince Asriel was injured by the humans on the surface, and then returned to the Underground. It seems he became dust in the presence of his parents in the garden at the center of the castle. I went there as soon as I could to examine the area. It has been many years since the last recorded merging of a human and monster soul, I had hoped find something there, but my cursory examination revealed nothing. I will have to examine it more thoroughly at a later date, when the King and Queen are less sensitive.


End file.
